Understanding Life in Shelly's Homesites: A Neighborhood Within a 7-Square-Mile City

Welcome to Shelly's Homesites a community within the city of Denham Springs

Shelly's Homesites, located within the city limits of Denham Springs, Louisiana, offers a unique perspective on life in a small city spanning just 7 square miles. While Denham Springs provides essential services to its 10,132 residents (2023 Census), Shelly's Homesites often finds itself overshadowed in the city's broader scope of governance and priorities. By examining the capabilities and constraints of this compact city, residents of Shelly's Homesites can better understand what to expect in terms of services and advocacy.

Government Profile: Focus on Ordinances

Denham Springs operates under a mayor and city council form of government. The five-member council oversees policy-making, ordinances, and legislative duties, while the mayor manages day-to-day operations and appoints department heads with council approval. This structure governs the city's approach to enforcement of municipal codes and business licenses.
Shelly's Homesites residents can take action by directly engaging with their representatives and working collectively to highlight issues that may otherwise be overlooked in citywide governance.

Services and Amenities for Shelly's Homesites

For residents of Shelly's Homesites, understanding ordinances related to municipal code enforcement and business licensing is essential for ensuring fair application of the law. These ordinances cover topics such as:

• Municipal Code Enforcement:
  Regulations addressing property maintenance, zoning compliance, and neighborhood safety standards.
  • Example: Ensuring property owners adhere to guidelines on servitude clearance and building code requirements.
• Business Licensing:
  Ordinances that govern the operation of businesses within city limits, ensuring compliance with permits, zoning, and public safety regulations.
  • Example: Verifying that local businesses in Shelly's Homesites operate with valid licenses and meet applicable standards.

Shelly's Homesites residents can advocate for stronger enforcement of these ordinances to address neglect or inaction that affects their quality of life.

Services and Advocacy for Shelly's Homesites

Denham Springs provides services that extend to Shelly's Homesites, including public safety, infrastructure maintenance, and utilities. However, gaps in enforcement of municipal codes and business licensing often require residents to take additional steps to ensure action is taken. Key services include:

• Municipal Code Enforcement: Addressing complaints about unkempt properties, illegal structures, and servitude violations.
• Business Licensing Oversight: Advocating for stricter monitoring of unlicensed or noncompliant businesses in Shelly's Homesites.
• Infrastructure Maintenance: Reporting issues like blocked servitudes or neglected drainage systems that hinder safety and accessibility.

By engaging directly with city officials and utilizing tools like Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Shelly's Homesites residents can hold departments accountable.

Leadership Team and Ordinance Accountability

• Mayor: Gerard Landry
• City Council Members:
• Poole, Robert
• Lamm-Williams, Lori
• Dugas, Amber
• Gilbert, Jim
• Wesley, Jeff
• Planning and Zoning Commission
• Banks, Fred (Chairman)
• Lawson, Bill (Vice-Chairman)
• Ballard, Denver (Commissioner)
• Cavalier, John (Commissioner)
• McLavy, Gayle (Commissioner)
• Riley, Ray (Commissioner)
• Whitmire, Chris (Commissioner)
• Department Heads:
• Animal Control: Boutwell, Rachel
• Business License: Cook, Ira
• City Attorney: Hulett, Stephanie
• City Clerk: Anderson, Buffy
• Building Official: Foster, Rick
• Engineers:
• Financial: Hood, Michelle
• Fire Dept. Chief: Stafford, Richard
• Gas Dept.: Dugas, Darrell
• Grants: Jennings, Donna
• Treasurer: Hood, Michelle
• Planning and Zoning: Banks, Fred
• Police Chief: Walker, Rodney
• Purchasing: Harris, Dana
• Street Dept.: Lathers, George
• Wastewater: Clark, B.J.
• Water Dept.: Harris, Ben
• Department Heads Relevant to Code Enforcement and Licensing:
• City Clerk: Buffy Anderson (records and enforcement oversight)
• Planning and Zoning: Fred Banks (ordinance compliance)
• Building Official: Rick Foster (code adherence)
• Police Chief: Rodney Walker (enforcement collaboration)

Strengthening communication with these leaders ensures Shelly's Homesites remains an integral part of Denham Springs' governance.

While Shelly's Homesites is nestled within Denham Springs, it often requires extra advocacy to ensure its specific needs are met—particularly in areas like municipal code enforcement and business licensing. Understanding these ordinances and taking proactive steps can empower residents to hold city departments accountable, fostering a community that thrives within the broader city framework.